Pre Arrival Egly-Ouriet Champagne Grand Cru Millesime 2014 1.5L

97 WA

Notes:

One of the very finest wines produced in this less heralded vintage is Egly's 2014 Brut Grand Cru Millésime, a strikingly vinous and enveloping Champagne that wafts from the glass with aromas of pear, mirabelle plum, freshly baked bread, almond paste and honeycomb. Full-bodied, satiny and layered, its textural attack segues into a deep, concentrated mid-palate of exceptional purity and cut, concluding with a long, penetrating and mouthwateringly saline finish. As ever, it's a blend of some 70% Pinot Noir with 30% Chardonnay from Ambonnay's greatest terroirs. - William Kelly 97

Producer: Egly-Ouriet is based in Ambonnay and has become one of the benchmark grower estates of Champagne. Francis Egly’s approach is built around ripe fruit, low yields, indigenous fermentations, barrel élevage and unusually long maturation before release. The vintage Grand Cru sits near the top of the domaine’s range and is produced from old vines in Ambonnay. The 2014 is especially notable because Francis Egly has spoken very highly of the vintage, despite 2014 receiving less attention broadly in Champagne than some surrounding years. The wine was held at the domaine for years before release, reflecting Egly-Ouriet’s commitment to giving its top Champagnes substantial time to develop before they reach the market.
Vineyard: The 2014 Millésime comes entirely from Grand Cru vineyards in Ambonnay, the home village of Egly-Ouriet on the Montagne de Reims. The blend is 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, from old vines; contemporary technical information describes the vines as approximately 40 years old. Pinot Noir provides the foundation, while Chardonnay accounts for nearly a third of the assemblage. Unlike Egly’s non-vintage Grand Cru cuvées that can draw on several villages, this wine is focused specifically on Ambonnay and a single harvest.
Winemaking: The wine was vinified entirely in oak barrels using indigenous yeasts, and malolactic fermentation was blocked to preserve freshness and acidity. Following its initial élevage, the Champagne spent approximately 96 months—eight years—on its lees before disgorgement in July 2023. It was bottled without fining or filtration. That exceptionally long maturation is an important part of the character of Egly-Ouriet’s Millésime: the wine gains the complexity of extended lees contact while retaining the structure supplied by Ambonnay Pinot Noir and the naturally fresh profile of the 2014 vintage.
Technical Details: Champagne AOC; Grand Cru; Extra Brut; 2014 vintage; 1.5-liter magnum; 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay; Ambonnay Grand Cru; old vines; indigenous-yeast fermentation; barrel vinification and élevage; no malolactic fermentation; approximately 96 months on the lees; disgorged July 2023; 1 g/L dosage. The very low dosage is particularly well suited to the 2014, allowing the concentration of the fruit and long lees maturation to stand against the vintage’s freshness and structure. The 2014 is documented commercially in magnum format as well as 750ml.
Food Pairing: This is a Champagne built for the table and the magnum format makes it particularly well suited to a long meal. Lobster, scallops, turbot and other rich seafood preparations are excellent matches, as are roast chicken, veal, mushrooms and aged Comté. Its combination of mature lees character, Pinot Noir structure and very low dosage can also handle dishes incorporating brown butter, toasted nuts or cream-based sauces. Serve in a white-wine glass rather than a narrow flute and allow it some time in the glass to open.